U.S. patent application number 11/854851 was filed with the patent office on 2008-08-28 for apparatus and method for creating digital collage.
This patent application is currently assigned to Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Ju-youn Lee, KiranPal SAGOO.
Application Number | 20080205694 11/854851 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39715952 |
Filed Date | 2008-08-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080205694 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SAGOO; KiranPal ; et
al. |
August 28, 2008 |
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CREATING DIGITAL COLLAGE
Abstract
A method and apparatus for creating a digital collage, the
apparatus including a sending/receiving unit and a creating unit,
the sending/receiving unit receiving contents from a plurality of
slave devices, and the creating unit merging the received contents
in a predetermined form to create the digital collage.
Inventors: |
SAGOO; KiranPal;
(Seongnam-si, KR) ; Lee; Ju-youn; (Seongnam-si,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STEIN, MCEWEN & BUI, LLP
1400 EYE STREET, NW, SUITE 300
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Assignee: |
Samsung Electronics Co.,
Ltd.
Suwon-si
KR
|
Family ID: |
39715952 |
Appl. No.: |
11/854851 |
Filed: |
September 13, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
382/100 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G11B 27/034 20130101;
G11B 27/34 20130101; G06T 11/60 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
382/100 |
International
Class: |
G06K 9/00 20060101
G06K009/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 27, 2007 |
KR |
2007-19625 |
Claims
1. An apparatus for creating a digital collage, the apparatus
comprising: a sending/receiving unit of a host device which
receives contents from a plurality of slave devices; and a creating
unit which merges the received contents in a predetermined form to
create the digital collage.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a sync unit which
synchronizes a creation date of the digital collage with the
digital collage or synchronizes the creation date of a part of the
digital collage contributed by each of the members who participated
in creating the digital collage, and stores the synchronized
digital collage.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a control unit
which determines whether or not the received contents are from the
slave devices that received a request message from the host
device.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the slave devices are mobile
devices.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the contents include at least
one of text, icons, images, or video.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the creating unit includes an
effect unit that applies a predetermined effect to the digital
collage or the contents.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: an output unit
which outputs at least one of the digital collage, the contents, or
information about members who participate in creating the digital
collage.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein when a pointer is placed on a
predetermined part of the digital collage, the output unit outputs
information of a member who made content corresponding to the
part.
9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein when a certain date is
selected, the output unit outputs the digital collage which is
synchronized with the date.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the digital collage is formed
as an image file, video file, or an application file.
11. An apparatus creating a digital collage using a story template,
the apparatus comprising: a sending/receiving unit which receives
contents created by combining objects selected from the story
template in a slave device; and a creating unit which creates the
digital collage using the received contents.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the story template includes
at least one of background images, characters, music, dialogue
boxes, or photo images.
13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the creating unit includes
an arranging unit that merges a plurality of the contents in a
predetermined form.
14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the story template is sent
sequentially to a plurality of slave devices according to a
sequence created using a host device.
15. A method of creating a digital collage by merging contents in a
predetermined form, the method comprising: selecting a plurality of
members using a host device of a user; sending a request message
for creating the contents to slave devices of the members;
receiving and merging the contents created by the members; and
creating the digital collage using the merged contents.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising synchronizing a date
of creation of the digital collage with the digital collage or
synchronizing the date of creation of a portion of the digital
collage contributed by each of the members who participated in
creating the digital collage, and storing the synchronized digital
collage.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein the slave devices are mobile
devices.
18. The method of claim 15, wherein the contents include at least
one of text, icons, images, or video.
19. The method of claim 15, further comprising applying a
predetermined effect to the digital collage or to the contents.
20. The method of claim 15, wherein when a pointer is placed on a
predetermined part of the digital collage, further comprising
outputting information of a member who created the content
corresponding to the predetermined part.
21. The method of claim 15, wherein when a date is selected,
further comprising outputting the digital collage which is related
to the selected date.
22. The method of claim 15, wherein the digital collage is formed
as an image file, video file, or an application file.
23. A method of creating a digital collage using a story template,
the method comprising: receiving contents produced by combining
objects selected from the story template in a slave device; and
creating the digital collage using the received contents.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the story template includes at
least one of background images, characters, music, dialogue boxes,
and photo images.
25. The method of claim 23, wherein the creating of the digital
collage includes merging a plurality of contents in a predetermined
form.
26. The method of claim 23, wherein the story template is sent
sequentially to a plurality of slave devices according to an
sequence created using a host device.
27. The method of claim 23, further comprising sending the story
template to a second slave device from a first slave device which
has finished producing assigned contents.
28. An apparatus for creating a digital collage comprising: a
sending/receiving unit sending a message to a plurality of devices
belonging to members of a group selected by a user of the apparatus
requesting information from the devices of the members to form the
digital collage and receiving the requested information from the
devices of the members selected by the user; and a creating unit
merging the received information from the devices of the members
selected by the user creating the digital collage.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Application
No. 2007-19625 filed on Feb. 27, 2007, in the Korean Intellectual
Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] An aspect of the present invention relates to an apparatus
for and a method of creating a digital collage, and more
particularly, to an apparatus for and a method of creating a
digital collage which enable a unique collage to be produced by
combining contents made by a plurality of users.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Recently, mobile devices such as personal digital assistants
(PDA), personal communication systems (PCS), etc., with a built-in
camera have been widely used to enable users to photograph images
or make videos at any time and in any place.
[0006] Furthermore, users can access various websites using certain
programs in mobile devices and communicate with one another. For
instance, users access websites such as MySpace and Facebook
through mobile social software (MoSoSo) to communicate with one
another in a community environment.
[0007] Also, users upload their photos and videos to personal
homepages to share them with others.
[0008] However, there is a need for a method of creating contents
which can reflect a user's personality and sentiment and build a
bond between users.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] An aspect of the present invention provides an apparatus for
and a method of creating a digital collage which enables a unique
collage to be produced by combining contents made by a plurality of
users.
[0010] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is
provided an apparatus for creating a digital collage, the apparatus
including a sending/receiving unit of a host device which receives
contents from a plurality of slave devices, and a creating unit
which merges the contents in a predetermined form to create the
digital collage.
[0011] According to another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided an apparatus for creating a digital collage using a
story template, the apparatus including a sending/receiving unit
which receives contents made by combining objects selected from the
story template in a slave device, and a creating unit which creates
the digital collage using the contents.
[0012] According to still another aspect of the present invention,
there is provided a method of creating a digital collage by merging
contents in a predetermined form, the method including selecting a
plurality of members using a host device of a user, sending a
request message for creating the contents to slave devices of the
members, receiving and merging the contents made by the members,
and creating the digital collage using the merged contents.
[0013] According to a further aspect of the present invention,
there is provided a method of creating a digital collage using a
story template, the method including receiving contents produced by
combining objects selected from the story template in a slave
device, and creating the digital collage using the contents.
[0014] Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will
be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part,
will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice
of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention
will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the
following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings of which:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus for creating a
digital collage according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0017] FIG. 2 shows screenshots for explaining how a user selects a
member who will participate in creating a digital collage from a
list provided by a host device according to an embodiment of the
present invention;
[0018] FIG. 3 shows screenshots for explaining procedures of
producing contents which are used for the digital collage according
to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 4 shows screenshots showing how the contents for the
digital collage are merged according to an embodiment of the
present invention;
[0020] FIG. 5 shows screenshots for explaining procedures of
sending the digital collage according to an embodiment of the
present invention;
[0021] FIG. 6 shows screenshots showing the digital collage and its
creation date;
[0022] FIG. 7 shows a list of members who participated in creating
the digital collage according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0023] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a method of creating a digital
collage according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 9 illustrates a story template according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
[0025] FIGS. 10-12 show screenshots for explaining procedures of
creating a digital collage according to an embodiment of the
present invention; and
[0026] FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a method of creating a digital
collage using a story template according to an embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0027] Reference will now be made in detail to the present
embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are
illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference
numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are
described below in order to explain the present invention by
referring to the figures.
[0028] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus for creating a
digital collage according to an embodiment of the present
invention. Referring to FIG. 1, an apparatus 100 for creating a
digital collage includes a sending/receiving unit 110, a sync unit
120, a storage unit 130, a creating unit 140, and an output unit
150. The sync unit 120 includes a control unit 125, and the
creating unit 140 may include an arranging unit 143 and an effect
unit 145. The apparatus 100 may be implemented as a mobile device
or a communication device with a display device. In some
embodiments, the elements of the apparatus 100 may be incorporated
into a host device, that is, a user's mobile device.
[0029] The sending/receiving unit 110 receives contents from a
plurality of members that are selected by the host device of the
user. The host device may be a mobile device of the user, and the
user selects the members that will produce the contents from a list
stored in the mobile device. Then, the user sends a message through
the sending/receiving unit 110 to request the members to create
contents. Mobile devices (slave devices) of the members receive the
request message from the host device, and the members make the
contents and then send the contents to the host device. Thus, the
host device receives the contents from the members though the
sending/receiving unit 110. Afterwards, the host device is able to
send a digital collage that is completed by combining the plurality
of contents to a certain device through the sending/receiving unit
110. In this case, the combining of the contents may include
merging or arranging the contents.
[0030] Meanwhile, when a member refuses to participate in the
production of the digital collage, a refusal message about the
request message may be sent automatically to the host device from
the slave device through the sending/receiving unit 110 to let the
user know. Also, when the member who received the request message
agrees to create the digital collage, an acceptance message may be
sent automatically to the host device from the slave device of the
member through the sending/receiving unit 110 to let the user know
the request result.
[0031] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present
invention, the sending/receiving unit 110 may receive a story
template, which will be described later in reference to FIG. 9,
from a service provider. The story template includes a plurality of
objects, and the objects may be background images or characters
which are necessary to create the digital collage. Moreover, the
story template may be divided into several sections, each section
comprising a different kind of object. Then, the sending/receiving
unit 110 sends the received story template to the members (slave
devices), and the members select certain objects from the story
template according to their roles for the digital collage and then
produce the contents. Here, when the order of sending the contents,
that is, the order of producing the contents is already set by the
user, the story template may be sent to each of the members
according to the arranged order. A detailed description will be
provided later with reference to FIGS. 9 through 12.
[0032] The sync unit 120 synchronizes the contents with each member
who made the contents and stores the contents in the storage unit
130, which will be described later. The sync unit 120 may
synchronize information about the members who participated in
making the digital collage with the digital collage or synchronize
the creation date of the digital collage with the digital collage
and then store the contents in the storage unit 130. In this case,
the digital collage is made by combining the received contents,
which can be stored as an image file, a video file, or an
application file. Furthermore, the sync unit 120 may include a
control unit 125 determining whether or not the received content is
sent from the slave device which received the request message.
[0033] That is, the control unit 125 may determine whether or not
the received content is sent from a selected member, select only
corresponding content for the digital collage, and then store the
content in the storage unit 130.
[0034] The storage unit 130 stores the contents and the digital
collage that is created by the creating unit 140. Also, the storage
unit 130 may store information on members selected by the host
device, the content made by each of the members, the digital
collage, and pieces of information generated by synchronizing the
members who participated in creating the digital collage with the
content. In this case, the pieces of information may be stored
according to the times and dates of creation, which allow history
information of the contents made by the members and digital
collages created by combining the contents to be managed. That is,
the user can select certain members from a member list stored in
the storage unit 130, and check the digital collage and contents
that the members are involved in. Furthermore, the user can select
a certain digital collage from the storage unit 130, and check
information about the members who participated in creating the
selected digital collage. The storage unit 130 may be a flash
memory, a memory chip, or a hard disk or any other type of memory
device. In another exemplary embodiment, the storage unit 130 may
store a story template received from a service provider.
[0035] The creating unit 140 creates a digital collage by merging
the contents in a predetermined form. The digital collage is made
by merging the contents received from a plurality of slave devices,
and, for example, may be in a mosaic form where image segments are
combined. Since the digital collage is a combination of the
contents made by each of the members, it can show the personality
of each member. Also, a bond between the members who participated
in creating the digital collage can be developed. The plurality of
members can cooperatively create the digital collage of the common
subject. For example, the members may produce contents with regard
to a birthday of a certain member of a family, and the produced
contents may be merged to create a digital collage. The creating
unit 140 may include the arranging unit 143 for merging the
received contents in a predetermined form, and the effect unit that
applies effects to the merged contents.
[0036] The arranging unit 143 merges the received contents in a
predetermined form. The user can preset the merging form from a
menu. The received contents can be merged in a default thumbnail
form and then be displayed on a screen. The form of the merged
contents can be output to the screen by the output unit 150 which
will be described later.
[0037] The effect unit 145 applies predetermined effects to the
received contents. Also, the effect unit 145 may apply
predetermined effects to the created digital collage. The received
contents can have a variety of forms, including images, letters,
videos, etc. The effect unit 145 may distort shapes of letters in
the received contents or digital collage into flame shapes, or
change a color image into a black and white image. In addition, the
effect unit 145 may apply various filtering effects including
sketch, sharpen, render, noise, invert, and posterize to the
received contents or the created digital collage.
[0038] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present
invention, the creating unit 140 may produce content by combining
objects selected from a story template of the slave device. Content
completed in a first mobile device (i.e., a first slave device) is
sent to a second mobile device (i.e., a second slave device), and
the second mobile device merges the received content with a certain
object selected from a story template. In this manner, a final
content, which is created by merging a plurality of objects, is
sent to the host device, to then be used to create the digital
collage. Here, the order of producing the contents of the mobile
devices may be preset by the user (the host device), and the story
template may be sent to each mobile device according to the
arranged order.
[0039] The output unit 150 outputs the digital collage to a screen
of the output unit. Also, the output unit 150 may display
information about members who participated in creating the digital
collage. Moreover, the output unit 150 may display information
about the members and the contents contributed by each member in a
list form. The output unit 150 may be a module which includes an
image display, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), a liquid crystal
display (LCD), a light emitting display, an organic light emitting
display, or a plasma display panel, which can display input image
signals.
[0040] In FIG. 1, the term `module`, as used herein, refers, but is
not limited to, a software or hardware component, such as a Field
Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or Application Specific Integrated
Circuit (ASIC), which performs certain tasks. A module may
advantageously be configured to reside on the addressable storage
medium and configured to execute on one or more processors. Thus, a
module may include, by way of example, components, such as software
components, object-oriented software components, class components
and task components, processes, functions, attributes, procedures,
subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware,
microcode, circuitry, data, databases, data structures, tables,
arrays, and variables. The functionality provided for in the
components and modules may be combined into fewer components and
modules or further separated into additional components and
modules.
[0041] FIG. 2 shows screens where a user selects members who will
participate in creating a digital collage from a list provided by a
host device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
[0042] For example, it is assumed that the user intends to make a
digital album as a birthday present of a user's mother and send the
digital album to a mobile device of the mother. Also, it is assumed
that the number of family members of the user is four, and members
are called member-A, member-B, member-C, and member-D,
respectively. The user requests each member to produce contents for
the digital album. Here, the contents may be digital data including
text, photos, and videos. To request the members, first, the user
selects the family members from the list stored in the user's
mobile device (a host device). In this case, the list may be a
general address book or a group list. In the case of the group
list, when, for example, a group A is selected, members belonging
to the group A can be selected at the same time.
[0043] As shown in FIG. 2, a group list 200 may be comprised of a
text group 202, a video group 204, and an image group 206. The user
can select a desired group, and select members who will participate
in creating a digital collage from the group. Here, the text group
202 may include a list of members who already participated in
creating a previous digital collage with regard to a particular
subject and made and sent texts to the host device, and the video
group 204 may include a list of members who already participated in
creating a previous digital collage with regard to a certain
subject and made and sent videos to the host device. Therefore, the
user can easily select members who will produce specific content
from the corresponding list.
[0044] First, the user selects the video group 204 (S201), and
selects the member-A, the member-B, the member-C, and the member-D
(S211). At this time, pieces of information of the selected members
are arranged in a text or image form and displayed on a screen of
the user's host device in a certain axial direction, thereby
allowing the user to check the selected members.
[0045] The user makes a message to request each member to produce
content for the digital collage (S221). For example, as shown in
FIG. 2, the user makes a request message 210 that asks the members
to make contents for celebrating a mother's birthday. When the user
makes the request message 210 and then sends the request message
210 to the selected member, each of members' mobile devices (slave
devices) receives the request message 210.
[0046] Members who communicate frequently with the user to produce
contents may be grouped into a list automatically, and then be
provided to the user. Here, the list may be composed of
characteristic images of respective members. The characteristic
image of the member (for example, the member-A) may be content that
the member-A has produced most recently, or photo data of the
member-A.
[0047] FIG. 3 shows screenshots for explaining procedures of
producing contents which are used for the digital collage according
to the current embodiment of the present invention. As shown in
FIG. 3, the members who receive the request message 210 may produce
contents (texts, videos, photos, etc.) using their mobile devices.
In this case, the members that received the request message 210 may
accept 212 or refuse 214 to make the contents for the digital
collage (S301). When the member, who received the request message
210, refuses to make the contents, a refusal message is sent
automatically to the host device, so that the user can know the
request result. Hereinafter, it is assumed that the members accept
to participate in producing the contents. In the same manner as the
refusal message, when the member receives the request message 210
and accepts the request, an acceptance message is sent
automatically to the host device and the user can check the request
result.
[0048] For instance, the member-A and the member-C take photos of
families and produce photo content (not shown), the member-B takes
a photo of a cake and makes video content 216 with the photo
(S311), and the member-D makes text contents (not shown) including
a message "Happy birthday to you".
[0049] Then, each member stores their contents by clicking a
"store" button 218, and sends the contents to the host device by
clicking a "send" button 220 (S321).
[0050] FIG. 4 shows screenshots showing how the contents for the
digital collage are merged according to an embodiment of the
present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, the user receives the
contents, which are made and sent by each member, using the user's
mobile device (S401). Here, a receipt message 402 that informs the
user that the contents are received may be displayed on a screen of
the mobile device, and the receipt message may be combined with the
information 400 about the members in a predetermined format and
displayed (arranged) on the screen (S411). Also, the information of
the members who are selected by the host device and the contents
received from the corresponding members may be synchronized
together and stored in a predetermined storage area.
[0051] The received contents may be merged with each other to
create the digital collage and arranged on the screen. That is, the
merged contents reflect the personality and sentiment of each
member and are tailored to a theme that congratulates the user's
mother on her birthday.
[0052] Furthermore, the user may select and apply a specific effect
to the merged contents. For example, a filtering effect such as
sketch 404 or posterize may be applied to the merged contents
(S421), or a roll out effect 406 which allows the contents to be
turned over page by page like an album (S431).
[0053] If 16 contents are received from four members, four contents
may be merged together and arranged on the screen at each time.
Then, when the user clicks a predetermined button, the arranged
four contents are formed as a single file, and thus a total of four
digital collages can be generated. Moreover, all of the received 16
contents may be merged together and then be formed as a single
image file.
[0054] FIG. 5 shows screenshots explaining procedures of sending
the digital collage according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0055] As shown in FIG. 5, the user may send the digital collage to
his/her mother (S501). As described above, the form of the digital
collage is a combination of the received contents, and the digital
collage may be an image file, a video file, or an application file.
In addition, as described above, the user may preset the
combination form of the received contents using a certain menu.
Furthermore, the user may set the arrangement form or an effect of
the content which will be displayed on the screen in advance.
[0056] The user may attach a predetermined message 502 to the
digital collage when sending the digital collage (S511). Besides
the message 502, the user may attach voice, music, images, icons,
or videos to the digital collage. Also, the user may send the
information about the members who participated in creating the
digital collage with the digital collage.
[0057] FIG. 6 shows screenshots showing the digital collage and its
creation date. As shown in FIG. 6, since the digital collage is
synchronized with the creation date 602 of each piece or part of
the digital collage contributed by each member, each part of the
digital collage can be provided to the user by selecting a specific
date. For example, if the digital collage was made on the 10.sup.th
of a certain month, when the user selects the 10.sup.th of the
month from an output screen in a calendar form, the digital collage
synchronized with the corresponding date is output and provided to
the user. Therefore, in this fashion, a history of the created
digital collage can be managed.
[0058] FIG. 7 shows a list of members who participated in creating
the digital collage according to an embodiment of the present
invention. As shown in FIG. 7, information about the members who
contribute to creating the digital collage can be displayed as a
list 702. When the user selects a specific member 704 from the list
702, the digital collage that the member participated in creating
or contents 706 that the member made can be displayed on the
screen. In other words, predetermined information (e.g., contact
information or a name) of the member and the contents or the
digital collage are synchronized together, and thus the
relationship between the contents that the member made and the
digital collage that includes that contents can be managed.
[0059] If there are lots of contents created by a selected member,
the contents may be listed in the order in which the contents were
created. Accordingly, a history of the contents can be managed, and
in the same manner, a history of the digital collages that the
member participated in creating can be managed. In addition, when
the user places a pointer on a predetermined position of the
digital collage, information of the member who made the part of the
digital collage where the pointer is placed may be displayed on the
screen. By doing this, the user can get information of each of the
members who made each part of the digital collage.
[0060] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a method of creating a digital
collage according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0061] First, a user selects a plurality of members who will
participate in creating the digital collage from a host device
(S801).
[0062] Then, the user sends a request message that requests the
members to produce contents to slave devices of the members (S811).
The members who received the request message make the contents
using their slave devices. The contents may include a text, an
image, or video. The members may make various forms of contents
using, for example, a camcorder, a PDA, or a PCS. Then, the
produced contents are sent to the host device.
[0063] In the next operation, the host device receives and merges
the contents made by the members (S821). The merged contents may be
arranged in a predetermined form and displayed on a screen of the
host device.
[0064] The merged contents are stored to create the digital collage
(S831). The digital collage may be stored as an image file, a music
file, or a video file. Also, the digital collage may be stored as
an application file where a predetermined effect is applied to the
digital collage. For instance, if the digital collage was created
(produced) as an application file, the contents produced by the
members are rolled out like an album page by page, or while the
contents are being displayed, a music or voice message may be
output together.
[0065] FIG. 9 shows a story template according to an embodiment of
the present invention.
[0066] As described above, the host device (the user) requests the
slave devices (the members) to participate in creating the digital
collage, receives the contents from the slave devices, and combines
the received contents to create the digital collage.
[0067] Alternatively, besides the method described above, the user
may assign roles to the members for the digital collage, and
provide the story template 900 to the members according to the
assigned roles.
[0068] As shown in FIG. 9, the story template 900 may include
objects such as a background image 902, character 904, music 906, a
script 908 (for example, a dialogue box or a text box), and a photo
image 910, and may be divided into sections according to the type
of the objects. The story template 900 which includes various
sections may be sent to each of the members. Some sections that are
necessary to produce the contents may be provided to the members
according to the members' roles. Also, the member may receive the
story template 900 from the user (the host device), or the member
may receive the story template 900 directly from a service
provider.
[0069] For example, it is assumed the user requests from a
member-A, a member-B, a member-C and a member-D to create a
character, make a background image, produce a dialogue box for the
character, and make music for the character, respectively. In this
case, initially, the user can be informed whether or not the
members will participate in creating a digital collage by sending
and receiving a predetermined message. Then, if the members accept
the request, the user can send messages that include the roles of
the members. Hereinafter, procedures used by the members to create
the digital collage using the story template 900 will be
described.
[0070] As shown in FIG. 10, the user selects a simple form of a
content frame 1002 from several content frames, and sends the story
template 900 to the member-A (S1001). Here, the user may send a
message 1004, which informs the member of his/her role to make a
character, together with the story template 900. The content frame
may be selected when the user merges the contents to create the
digital collage after receiving the contents from the members.
[0071] The member-A selects a character section 904 (referring to
FIG. 9) from the story template 900 sent from the user based on the
simple content frame 1002, and selects a desired character 1014
from characters 1012 included in the character section 904
(S1011).
[0072] In the next procedure, the selected character 1014 is placed
in the content frame 1002 (S1011), and the member-A sends the
character (S1021) that the member-A selected or formed to the
member-B (S1031). At the same time, the story template 90 is sent
to the member-B.
[0073] The story template 900 may be sent between the member-A, the
member-B, the member-C, and member-D according to the order in
which the contents are to be produced, which is initially arranged
by the user. To this end, a set unit (not shown) for setting the
order in which the contents are to be produced may be further
included in the apparatus 100 in FIG. 1. Thus, when the member-A
sends a predetermined message to the host device after finishing
selecting or making the character, the host device may send the
story template 900 to the member-B. Alternatively, after the
member-A completes the character, the member-A may send the story
template 900 to the member-B directly.
[0074] In the next procedure, as shown in FIG. 11, in the same
manner as above, the member-B receives the character 1014 and the
story template 900 from the member-A, selects the background image
section 902 from the story template 900, and selects a desired
background image 1112 from background images included in the
background image section 902 (S1101).
[0075] Then, the creating unit 140 combines the character 1014
received from the member-A with and the background image 1112, and
the combined image is output (S1111).
[0076] In the same fashion, the member-C receives the character
combined with the background image 1112 from the member-B, and
produces the dialogue box according to his/her role. To this end,
the member-C selects the script section 902 from the story template
900, and selects a desired form from dialogue boxes included in the
script section 902 (S1121).
[0077] Then, the member-C adds a certain message 1116 to the
selected dialogue box 1114 (S1131).
[0078] The dialogue box 1114 including the message 1116 is output
(S1141).
[0079] When the character combined with the dialogue box 1114 is
sent to the member-D, the member-D selects the music section 906
from the story template 900 to add music according to his/her role,
and selects music 1212 from the music section 906 (S1201).
[0080] Then, the music 1212 is applied to the character combined
with the dialogue box 1114 by the member-C (S1211).
[0081] Finally, the complete content 1214 is sent to the host
device of the user (S1221).
[0082] In this procedure, the user can store the final complete
content 1214 as a digital collage.
[0083] Furthermore, the above procedures S1001 to S1221 may be
repeated to produce another scene of content 1216.
[0084] FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a method of creating a digital
collage using a story template according to another embodiment of
the present invention.
[0085] First, the receiving/sending unit 110 sends the story
template sequentially to a plurality of slave devices according to
the order in which the contents are to be produced which is set by
the host device (S1301).
[0086] Then, the plurality of slave devices produces the content
using the story template according to their roles (S1311).
Consequently, the final slave device produces the final complete
content.
[0087] The final slave device sends the complete contents to the
host device through the sending/receiving unit 110 (S1321).
[0088] In the next procedure, the creating unit 140 creates the
digital collage using the final content (S1321). If a plurality of
contents is received, the contents may be merged in a predetermined
form to create the digital collage.
[0089] As described above, an apparatus for creating a digital
collage and a method of creating a digital collage according to the
embodiments of the present invention may have at least one or more
effects.
[0090] Firstly, since contents produced by a plurality of users are
merged, it is possible to create a more unique digital collage than
a digital collage made by a single user.
[0091] Secondly, the digital collage can reflect the user'
personality, sentiment and experience.
[0092] Thirdly, it is possible for users to make short stories
using their mobile devices according to their roles and put all of
the stories into a single digital collage.
[0093] Finally, the plurality of users produces single story
content cooperatively, thereby strengthening a relationship between
the users.
[0094] While the present invention has been particularly shown and
described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will
be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various
changes in form and details may be made therein without departing
from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by
the following claims. It is therefore desired that the present
embodiments be considered in all respects as illustrative and not
restrictive, reference being made to the appended claims rather
than the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the
invention.
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